President Muhammadu Buhari won election in 2015 on the basis of his promise to restore security by destroying the terrorist movement Boko Haram and to reduce corruption, which many Nigerians believe to be altogether out of control. His primary instrument to fight corruption has been the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). It has launched high profile investigations, including into the accounts of Patience Jonathan, the former first lady. Among other measures, it has frozen some $35 million in four bank accounts she owns and seized some real estate. Patience Jonathan says the EFCC has also frozen the bank accounts of her family members, including her late mother and her siblings.

In response, Patience Jonathan is accusing the EFCC of waging “psychological war” against her because of her support for her husband, former president Goodluck Jonathan. She is accusing the acting EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, of seeking to destroy her family and of conducting an “unjustified witch hunt.” As for her support for the political aspirations of her husband, her media spokesman stated, “That is the standard practice in all democracies around the world. For instance, Michelle Obama campaigned vigorously for her husband’s party during their last presidential election, but we are yet to see President Donald Trump move against her.” Patience Jonathan has demanded that President Buhari rein-in Magu. She is also demanding that the EFCC unseal her bank accounts. She has filed a suit against the EFCC for violation of her “fundamental rights” and is demanding two billion naira (about $5.6 million) in compensation.

There is push back against President Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign, especially among the opposition People’s Democratic Party. Some claim that Buhari is using the EFCC to go after his political enemies. In the predominately Christian parts of the country there are also murmurs that the anticorruption campaign is part of a Muslim effort against Christians. The Committee on Public Petitions in the House of Representatives has issued a warrant for the arrest of Magu because of his failure to appear before them with respect to a petition by Patience Jonathan. The Committee’s move appears to be led by southern, Christian, PDP representatives.

There is a tradition in Nigeria of presidents using the EFCC and other anticorruption agencies against their political enemies. While it is true that under President Buhari, most of the high-profile investigations have been of PDP former officials in the Jonathan administration who are predominately Christian, these people were also, of course, in positions where they could loot public funds. Further, Christians dominated the Jonathan government, though the EFCC has also investigated Sambo Dasuki, Jonathan’s Muslim national security advisor, who remains under house arrest.

Patience Jonathan as first lady was flamboyant, arrogant, and widely disliked. She has yet to be convicted of a crime, however, it is curious how a person who spent most of her career in public service could accumulated an acknowledged $35 million in a poor country.

John Campbell

Ralph Bunche Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies

madridguy:
John Campbell can go to hell. We won't allow you to rubbish our Mama Peace.

ProWalker:


Madrid, not so many NLanders understand sarcasm

aolawale025:
EFCC should, IF they can prove to a law court the lady's funds are stolen.

Em5:
http://punchng.com/patience-jonathan-was-arrogant-as-first-lady-ex-us-ambassador/


A former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, has described former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience, as being arrogant and flamboyant when she was Nigeria’s first lady.

In a piece he wrote on Friday, ‘Nigerian President Buhari’s Sisyphean Efforts’, and posted on Council on Foreign Relations’ website, Campbell also wondered how Jonathan’s wife became wealthy having spent most of her life as a civil servant.

The ex-US envoy stated, “Patience Jonathan as the first lady was flamboyant, arrogant, and widely disliked. She has yet to be convicted of a crime. However, it is curious how a person who spent most of her career in public service could accumulate an acknowledged $35 million in a poor country.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is currently investigating Jonathan’s wife and has frozen four bank accounts belonging to her, while some property belonging to her have been seized. Among other actions taken by the EFCC was the freezing of Jonathan’s $35m.

The former first lady also claimed that the EFCC had frozen bank accounts belonging to some of her relatives, including that of her late mother, and accused the anti-graft agency of waging a “psychological war” against her for supporting Jonathan’s re-election bid in 2015.

Speaking on President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption fight, Campbell said, “There is pushback against President Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign, especially among the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. Some claim that Buhari is using the EFCC to go after his political enemies. In the predominately Christian parts of the country, there are also murmurs that the anti-corruption campaign is part of a Muslim effort against Christians.

“The Committee on Public Petitions in the House of Representatives has issued a warrant for the arrest of Magu(EFCC boss) because of his failure to appear before them with respect to a petition by Patience Jonathan. The committee’s move appears to be led by southern, Christian, PDP representatives.”

According to him, there is a tradition in Nigeria of presidents using the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies against their political enemies.

“While it is true that under President Buhari, most of the high-profile investigations have been of PDP former officials in the Jonathan administration who are predominately Christian, these people were also, of course, in positions where they could loot public funds. Further, Christians dominated the Jonathan government, though the EFCC has also investigated Sambo Dasuki, Jonathan’s Muslim national security adviser, who remains under house arrest,” Campbell noted.

Tolexander:
SMH!

Just a "ghost" Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa state, the highest post she ever attained, she is so extremely rich.

Someone still came online to tell us to look for proof.

aolawale025:
EFCC should, IF they can prove to a law court the lady's funds are stolen.

omenka:
How is that his business? How about writing about Trump's it Obama's wife?

beamtopola:

APC are at it again to distract Nigerians from the 26billion dollar which buhari stole. we won't buy it. where is our 26billion dollar?

pryme:


Am so ashamed of this comment, am even more ashamed that you were given access to Nairaland, pls enlighten me is $26 billion worth of contract now means $26 billion is missing?


You better take a chill when you read before talking, cos it takes a while for slowpokes to understand and process information.

farihafaheemah:

Sentiment and ethnicity has blocked some people common sense, imagine miss-leading general public that 26B dollars is missing. May God make him recover from 2015 electoral defeat.

pryme:


Am so ashamed of this comment, am even more ashamed that you were given access to Nairaland, pls enlighten me is $26 billion worth of contract now means $26 billion is missing?


You better take a chill when you read before talking, cos it takes a while for slowpokes to understand and process information.

mightyhazel:
but 2b armsdeal contact was stolen ba ? apc hypocritic logic

MaziOmenuko:
Arrogant thief. Why she has the guts to approach the national assembly for them to caution EFCC is becuase the EFCC is showing restraint in arresting her because of the respect for her husband. Else she would have been docked by now.

Let her keep pushing her luck.